


Ghosts

by weethreequarter



Series: Marvel Bingo 2019 [1]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Angst, Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Spoilers, Canon Compliant, Canonical Character Death, Gen, Marvel Bingo 2019, Post-Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Regret, tony stark's funeral
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-15
Updated: 2019-06-15
Packaged: 2020-05-12 07:23:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 663
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19224412
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/weethreequarter/pseuds/weethreequarter
Summary: Hank Pym remembers the boy he knew as Tony Stark.Marvel Bingo 2019 - Ghosts





	Ghosts

****Sunglasses are useful things.

Not just for shielding your eyes from the glare of the sun, but for hiding things you don’t want the world to see. Like tears.

Hank Pym was inordinately grateful for his sunglasses as he stood by Janet’s side and watched Tony’s Stark’s wife - no, widow - and daughter place the wreath on the lake. His own daughter was there too, and Hank had never been more grateful that they’d found each other again. Tears pricked his eyes, and a lump lodged itself in his throat as he remembered the boy he knew as Tony Stark. 

A boy who was so very different from the Tony Stark oft seen in the tabloids or social media over the years.

Hank remembered the little boy who looked bored as he waited for his father at SHIELD, the little boy who scowled through parties despite his mother’s best efforts to make him _smile, Anthony_. The little boy whom Janet had latched onto. It was watching her with Tony that had made Hank realise that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with Janet, to raise a family together, to build a home. 

He remembered how precious Tony was, remembered being in a lab with him one time, the boy leaning curiously, his nose practically pressed up against whatever sample Hank was working on. He couldn’t recall what project he’d been caught up with, but he could recall the way Tony’s face lit up when the results came through, confirming his hypothesis. Hank had realised, long ago, that Tony was destined to outstrip his father’s genius and leave Howard in the shadow.

Then came Janet’s death, and SHIELD’s betrayal, and everything fell apart.

Hank never saw Tony again after he walked out of SHIELD. He lumped Tony in as just another Howard, another Stark.

Another threat.

How wrong he was.

Even so, when he first heard about Tony’s kidnapping, all those years ago, privately Hank felt part of his heart break at the thought of the boy who proudly carried the rings at his and Janet’s wedding, despite hating his page boy outfit, being gone forever. He allowed himself to feel a modicum of pride when Tony revealed himself to be Iron Man, confirming Hank’s suspicions that Tony would far outstrip Howard’s achievements. He did that in one fell swoop, in one gold titanium alloy suit. Of course, over the years there would be more suits, and a new element, even nanotech inspired by the work done in Wakanda. Tony’s genius and place in history was forever cemented. 

Despite hating Tony for being a Stark, Hank couldn’t help himself from keeping track of Tony’s progress. His pride and anger wildly conflicted, but were it not for Tony’s continued association with SHIELD, he maybe could’ve moved past his anger. 

But then came the Accords, and the Raft, and Scott’s house arrest.

Hank couldn’t move past that.

And then, and then nothing.

And then they died for five years, although it felt like nothing. And with their return came the news of what it cost.

Tony Stark’s death.

And now, all Hank could feel was regret. 

Regret at wasting all those years. 

Regret at never reaching out to Tony.

Regret at allowing Tony to remain in Obadiah Stane’s clutches for al those years, despite the fact that Hank had never liked him nor trusted him. 

Regret at never telling Tony how proud he was, of everything he’d done and achieved.

Regret, that saving the world came at the cost of Tony’s life and his family.

Now, now it was too late.

All these years, Hank had been haunted by ghosts. First of Janet, then Howard and Peggy, and then later Cross; loss upon loss, betrayal upon betrayal. But now he had Janet back, and he couldn’t bring himself to care about Howard or Peggy, or even Cross. Not anymore.

But he would always be haunted by Tony Stark, and the things he could’ve done.


End file.
